Green Arrow #30 Review

Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Andrea Sorrentino
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 2, 2014

Oh Father, Where Art Thou

Like Hansel, Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino are so hot right now.  Green Arrow is the bell of the ball, if the ball is a great looking, awesomely written comic book.  Lemire has added so much to the Green Arrow mythos and Sorrentino has been there every step of the way making it look fantastic.  I swear I'm not their PR man, just a guy who loves the heck out of their comic.



I hate to spoil things in my reviews, but SPOILER WARNING...Oliver is not dead.  Last month's cliffhanger was a damn tease and a ridiculous one to boot.  Seriously, did anyone think he was really dead?  He isn't Nightwing for crying out loud.  Nope, he's alive and kicking and looking to save his half-sister, Emiko.  He's not the only one, however.

Lemire has done such a great job on this arc, but this issue is a little bloated.  There are so many people in it, it gets a bit confusing.  There are the usual suspects; Oliver, Shado and Robert.  There are the cool villains and heroes;  Komodo, Magus and the Butcher.  Then there's Katana.  I know she is in the Sword Clan and was showing up eventually, but even after that she still feels forced in.

Please don't think I didn't like this issue.  It was really good, even if it was filled with more exposition than usual.  Lemire shows what really made Oliver a hero (hint: it wasn't the Island) and who he really hates (hint: it isn't his Mother).  The line of hated people is about to get longer as one two of his biggest villains seem to be joining sides to take over Seattle.  That's a story for the future, though.  Right now there's a War going on.

Speaking of which, the Outsiders War may be in full swing, but it has turned very personal for Oliver. Lemire is taking a cue from his awesome Animal Man run and making this book as much about family as it is about shooting arrows. Because of that, the Cliffhanger is all the more painful.

What isn't painful is Andrea Sorrentino's art.  It is so good and makes the book hit another level all together. Whether it's the full page spreads or the clever paneling, this book is art, plain and simple.

Bits and Pieces:

Green Arrow #30 continues the Outsiders War and while Jeff Lemire throws so many characters at the reader, it is a more personal fight for Ollie.  Andrea Sorrentino's art combined with Lemire's writing make this a book that's hard to beat.

8.5/10